So maybe it pays to wait a bit before you buy your next smartphone just to see what’s available when the dust clears. And until we test the phones arriving in the next few weeks, the current champ remains the Galaxy S25 Ultra. In addition to the MacBook Pro’s performance, we were impressed with its 17.5-hour battery life. It has three USB-C ports that support Thunderbolt 5, as well as an HDMI port, an SD card reader, a headphone jack, and a MagSafe charging port. While the performance of the MacBook Pro is stellar, it’s nearly impossible to repair or upgrade on your own.
The best Windows laptop under $500
Looking at this best cheap phone contender, I can tell you that it’s upgraded in every way, including its design. You can’t help but appreciate how the Pixel 9a brings back a long forgotten phone design with its nearly flush camera design on the back of the phone. I admit to being a fan of the horizontal camera bar on other Google phones, but the Pixel 9a’s look has its advantages, too. Because the iPhone 16 Pro features the same camera setup for $200 less, we’d steer more people toward that phone, but you won’t be disappointed with what the iPhone 16 Pro Max cameras produce. The iPhone 16 Pro Max no longer holds down the top spot among the best phones we’ve tested, but that’s more of a reflection of the advanced AI on board the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7
If you prefer a bigger screen and a longer-lasting battery, it may be worth an extra $100 for the iPhone 16 Plus, but Apple’s standard iPhone remains a compelling option in its own right. In fact, my colleague John Velasco argues that the iPhone 16 is a Pro model in disguise, reversing the recent trend of Apple giving all its attention to the Pro phones. Certainly, no one would claim the iPhone 16 is an afterthought, given all the new additions. On the bright side, the Pixel 9 Pro costs the same $999 as the Pixel 8 Pro. Pixel Studio beats out the iPhone’s Image Playground app in this area, too.
- A year later, the heavy-duty 2500 and 3500 models joined the lineup as well.
- The Sierra is the GMC-badged counterpart of the Chevrolet Silverado, which we will find a little further ahead.
- However, iPhones offer speedier software updates, better games and apps and better security and privacy.
- You’ll get better than average battery life with the Pixel 9a, lasting nearly as long as the pricier Pixel 9.
The most repairable laptop
John particularly found multimodal AI support to be a great addition to the Flip, as it allows the phone to see what you’re seeing via its cameras, so that you can ask questions and gather information. Battery life is one area where the Galaxy Z Flip 7 still trails Motorola’s foldable phones, as the Razr Ultra bested the Flip’s time on our test by more than 3 hours. My colleague John Velasco tested the new Flip and raves about the phone’s Flex mode, which makes it easier to get the shots you want. Thanks to the Flip’s unique design, you can take selfies with the higher-resolution main camera, and you can positon the exterior display to see what you’re shooting as well. The Snapdragon 8 Elite’s power management features help the Galaxy S25 improve upon its predecessor’s time in our battery test by nearly 2.5 hours. The iPhone 16 continues to offer lossless 2x zoom without the need of a telephoto camera too, which helps bridge the gap between itself and the Pro models.
Transfer limit
- It is also the first generation to be available with a hybrid powertrain only in the North American and European markets.
- The RAV4 is one of the best-selling SUVs in history, with over 10 million units being sold as of early 2020.
- After ceding ground to other foldable phone makers like Motorola and OnePlus, Samsung bounces back in a big way with its 2025 devices.
- But overall, I think the OnePlus 13 cameras hold up well against the competition.
- That said, the Pixel 9a does handily out-perform the $399 Galaxy A36, which uses a lower-powered Snapdragon chipset.
- If it has a screen, sits on a desk, and isn’t a basic Windows ultrabook, I’m usually the person to try it out.
This is one of the biggest drawbacks about being a value phone because the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 isn’t equipped to handle intense graphics processing. We’ve finally got a series of Pixels that outlasts the average smartphone, with the Pixel 9 Pro beating the average result on our test by 3 hours. If the price isn’t enough to convince you, just know that there are Pixel 9a deals that discount the phone even more from its normal price, while also throwing in freebies. If only the iPhone 16 Pro Max could charge quickly, but at least MagSafe charging is improved to 25W speed. Our best phone picks are based on our lab tests and real-world use of each phone we get our hands on.
As great a phone as the Galaxy S25 Ultra is, $1,299 is a lot to pay for a handset, especially when you can get an iPhone 16 Pro Max or Galaxy 9 Pro XL for $100 less. Catch up on CNBC Select’s in-depth coverage of credit cards, banking and money, and follow us on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date. Register or sign inCreate an account and verify your identity by providing your driver’s license, passport or other government-issued ID. If you don’t want to overpay to convert currency, Wise uses the real exchange rate with no hidden markups. Tuft & Needle is taking up to $700 off the Tuft & Needle Mint and Tuft & Needle Mint Hybrid.
See our iPhone vs Android face-off for more on the strengths and weaknesses of the two mobile platforms. Although it’s only a dual-camera setup here, its main camera holds up to some of the best camera phones out there. If you’re tired of having to carry around big phones that feel heavy, the Galaxy S25 Edge is your best choice for now — and this is despite some of its trade-offs. Not only do you have the same set of Galaxy AI features to try out as the S25 Ultra, but it still packs a bright display, excellent cameras, and 7 years of software support.
Apple says it’s shifting production of phones sold in the U.S. to India and away from China in part to mitigate the impact of tariffs. Nevertheless, the company expects tariffs to add $900 million to its costs during the June quarter. Of course, that was before President Trump threatened Apple with a 25% tariff unless it moved phone production to the U.S. — something that would be very difficult to do.
If you’re willing to sacrifice some speed for a more repairable machine, check out our recommendation below for a Windows laptop. Fans of the best small phones will have a hard time finding devices with screens smaller than 6 inches today, though a few still exist. Thanks to shrinking bezels, most phones with screens around 6.1 inches are fairly compact.
Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro Laptop (16-Inch)
Its network includes more than 400,000 agent locations for cash pickup across 200 countries, with same-day delivery in many places. This memory-foam magnate is famously pricey — that’s part of why I recently tested the cheapest and most expensive the best free places to search for grant funding Tempur-Pedic mattresses to compare them directly. But if you’re looking to save a little money on a best-of-the-best memory-foam mattress, all of the brand’s mattresses are currently on sale for Labor Day, including 30 percent off the affordable Tempur-Cloud. We regularly test the most promising laptops, from sleek ultrabooks to cheap Chromebooks to massive gaming laptops and beyond.
Camera improvements on successive phones are often minor, but they’re night and day with the Nothing Phone 3a Pro. Not only does it get upgraded to a robust triple camera system, but the performance is better than expected for a value phone. If that’s not enough to convince you about its utility, the Nothing Phone 3a Pro also offers all-day battery life with its 5,000 mAh battery and fast charging with its 50W speed. Over on the software side, Nothing OS 3.1 sports the same minimalist design that the software is known for, while also diving into the world of AI with the Essential Space. While its strengths continue to be around its unique design, Nothing OS, and Glyph Interface, Nothing adds a robust set of triple cameras on the back of the phone — complete with a telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. The 48MP main camera does a lot, but it still can’t beat a Pro iPhone due to the lack of a dedicated telephoto lens.
